Bank safety lock



April 5, 1932. J. R. BORBA BANK SAFETY LOCK Filed Sept. 29, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet MMI mum.

uhhh..-" QV..

J. R. BORBA Apr-il 5, 1932.

BANK SAFETY LOCK Filed Sept. 29, 1930 (5 Sheets-Sheet e; am E I BYI/E TORT www ATTORNEY April 5, 1932.

J. R. BORSA 1,852,642

BANK SAFETY LOCK Filed sept. 29. 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 wwf/@M Patented Apr. 5, 1932 UNITED STATES JOSEPH R. BORBA, F LATHROP, CALIFORNIA BANK SAFETY LOCK Application filed September 29, 1930. Serial No. 485,175.

This invention relates to improved apparatus for protecting banks against burglars. An object of my invention is to provide improved apparatus for protecting banks against burglars or robbers.

Another object of my invention is to provide improved apparatus for use in banks which may be conveniently operated to trap burglars.

A further object of my invention is to provide improved safety apparatus for use in banks having electrically operated mechanism for preventing the escape of a robber.

Other objects more or less apparent will E5 present themselves or will be specifically pointed out in the description to follow.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a top plan view of safety apparatus for use in banks which is constructed 2@ in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a sectional view showing in detail the switch for commencing the operation 2@ of the apparatus;

Figure 4 is a sectional view showing in detail the locking lug for the trap doors;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5--5 of Figure 6;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-,6 of Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a sectional view showing the mechanism for locking and unlocking the u bank doors; and 0 Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 represents the main floor `structure of a bank or other building having a side wall 2 within r which is provided an opening suitable in size to accommodate two swinging doors 3. Suitably secured to the floor 1 at points beneath the doors, is U-shaped bracket 4 having a plate 5 normally supported thereon. The D plate is provided with upwardly disposed pins 6 which extend through-vertical openings in the floor and are adapted to be raised by the plate to positions above the floor and at each side of the doors. The pins 6, when o elevated by the plate 5, are adapted to lock the doors 3 in closed positions to prevent their being opened except by a person operating a releasing mechanism. Each pin is provided with a rubber butter 7 which contacts with the lower surface of the floor and prevents the making of any undue noise as the pins are moved into a locking position at the sides of the doors 3. The plate 5 is normally held against the bracket 4 by a latch member 8 which is pivotally attached to the said bracket, a spring 9 serving to normally maintain the latch member in engagement with the plate. The lower end of the latch member is secured to a core 10 of an electro-magnet 11, the coil of the said magnet being connected by a wire 12 to a source of electrical power and by a wire 13 to a push button switch 14. The switch 14 is preferably located within reach of an employee of the bank, and is connected to the source of power by a wire 15. Upon pressing the push button switch 14 the circuit to the electro-magnet is closed, thereby permitting the Vlatter to become energized. Upon the electro-magnet becoming energized the core 10 is drawn toward the same, thereby causing the latch member 8 to be moved about its pivot so as to cause its disengagement from the plate 5. The plate 5 and its pins 6 lare thereupon free to move in upward directions to lock the doors 3 against movement. The plate 5 and the pins 6 are moved in upward directions by a lever member 16 which is pivotally supported by a downwardly disposed bracket 17 secured to the floor l, one end of the said lever member being in contact with the underneath surface of the plate and the other end being secured to a cord 18. The cord 18 has a weight 19 suspended therefrom, which upon the release of the latch member 8 from the plate 5, moves downwardly to cause the lever member to turn about its pivot. The end of the lever member which is in engagement with the plate, is thereupon elevated, thus causing the plate and the pins to be raised so the said pins project above the locr 1 to lock the doors 3 against movement. The cord`18 extends around a drum 20 located in the wall 2 of the building structure, and a crank 21 provided on the drum permits the cord to be rewound thereon to elevate the weight and bring the lever member 16 to its normal position. The plate 5 and the pins 6 move downwardly by gravity to their normal positions as soon as the pressure of the lever member 16 is removed from the plate, thus unlocking the doors.

The drum 2O is preferably located inside an opening in the wall 2 of the building structure, and a door 22, normally closing the opening, may be conveniently opened to operate the crank 21. When the lever member 16 is moved by the weight 19 so as to elevate the plate 5 and the pins 6, its opposite end comes into engagement with a counter balanced L- shaped catch member 23 which is pivotally mounted on the building structure. The catch member 23 upon engagement with the end of the lever member 16, maintains the latter in a position whereby the plate 5 and its pins Gare in an elevated position. The catch member 23 is released from the lever member 16 by a cord 24 which extends from the said catch member to the opening in the wall 2 where. the drum 2O is located, the said cord being capable of manipulation by a person inside the building structure. Upon releasing the. catch member 23 from the lever member 16, the weight member 19 may be moved upwardly by the crank 21.

After the doors 3-have been locked to prevent the escape. of a robber from the bank, suitable mechanism may be actuated to trap the robber and hold him securely within the connes of av specially built cell. Suitably positioned onthe floor 1 in the vicinity of a switch 14, or in any other location available to the bank employees, is a pivoted foot rail 25 having a downwardly extending part which projects through the floor and is provided with a contact point 26 connected by a wire 2.7 to a pivoted counter balanced contact arm 28.. By moving the foot rail 25 to the right, the contact point 26 iscarried vinto engagementv with a stationary Contact point 29 which is connected by a. wire 30 to the source of electrical power. A. spring 25 serves to return the rail 25 to its normal position. The contact arm 2S is positioned to intercept the weight 19.v when the latter moves by gravity I in. a downward direction.. The weight 19 in moving downwardly moves the contact arm 28; about its pivot, thereby causing a Contact point 31 thereon to engage with a contact point 32y which isconnected by a wire 83 to a motor 34, the said motor being connected by a wire, 3.5 tothe source of electrical power. Upon. the movement of the weight 19 in a downward direction the switch on the circuit tothemotor 34 automatically is closed, thereby enabling the circuit to be closed entirely by the manipulationy of the foot rail 25. The motor 34 serves' as a means for actuating a trapi door mechanism to be later described.

At points in front of the doors 3, the floor 1 is provided with an opening within which a trap door 36 is normally located. Located directly beneath the trap door is a chamber enclosed by four side walls 37, one of which is provided with a door 38. The chamber is suitable in size to accommodate the trap door when the latter is dropped in a downward direction. The bottom of the trap door 36 is provided with a number of bearings 39 within which a number of racks 40 are slidably mounted. rlhere are two pair of the racks, one pair being located adjacent one side edge of the trap door and anothel' pair being located adjacent the opposite side edge of the same. The teeth of each pair of the racks 40 are meshed with a pinion 41 which is securely mounted on a shaft 42. The shaft 42 is mounted in suitable bearings on the trap door and extends transversely across the chamber and through vertical slots 43 in opposite side walls 37. @ne end ofthe shaft 42 is provided with a gear 44 which meshes with an intermediate gear 45 the latter being meshed with a gear 46 secured to the shaft of the motor 34. The outwardly disposed end of each of the raclrs 40 is slidably secured to a spring pressed supporting lug 47 which normally extends through a small opening located in the upper edge of a side wall 37. The lugs 47 slidably extend through bearings 48 on the trap door 36, and serve to support the trap door when they are positioned within the openings in the side walls 37. The motor 34, when actuated by the manipulation of the foot rail 25, turns the shaft 42 so that the pinions 41 move the racks 40 and the lugs 47 inwardly. The movement of the racks inwardly, causes the lugs to be withdrawn from the openings in the side walls 37,. thereby releasingv the supports for the trap door 86. As soon as the lugs 47 are so released from the openings, the trap door drops within the chamber thereby carrying any robber or other person standingV thereon with it. To take up the shock of the falling trap door 36, Iv have mounted a plurality of shock absorbers 49 at the bottom part of the chamber. The shock absorbers are provided with pistons 50 which project inside the chamber and are pivotally attached at ends thereof to inclined bars 51, the said bars being located in the path of the falling trap door and fastened at their upper ends to the walls 37 of the chamber. When the trap door 36 falls upon the inclined bars 51 the pistons are slowly moved within their shock absorbers 49, thereby preventing the trap door from falling with a sudden jar upon the bottom of the chamber. The trap door is maintained in a substantially horizontal plane. by a number of rollers 52 secured to its opposite side edges, the said rollers being located in vertical grooves in the side walls 37 which serve as guides for the rollers.

In order to cover the top of the chamber when the trap door 36 is dropped down- Wardly, I have provided curved tracks 53 at opposite side walls 37 which serve to support the side edges of two flexibley steel doors 54. The lower ends of the flexible steel doors 54 are fastened to chains 55 which extend over suitably supported rollers 56 and sprockets 56 the upper ends of said chains being tastened to the side edges of the trap door 36, as at 58. Also fastened to the said trap door, as at 58, are cables 57 which extend over rollers 59 mounted at the lower para ot the side walls 37 or" the chamber and are fastened at opposite ends to the lower ends of the chain 55. When the trap door is dropped downwardly, the chains 55 are moved over their rollers and sprockets, thereby causin the flexible steel doors 54 to be moved upwardly within their guides 53. As soon as the trap door has completed its downward movement, the flexible steel doors 54 will have been carried to points where the chamber is completely covered thereby.

At this particular time the robber heretofore standing on the trap door 36 will be cenined within the chamber enclosed by the walls 37 and the flexible s'teel doers 54.

The trap door 36 together with the other parts of the device associated therewith., are moved back to their normal positions by a motor 60, the said motor being operatively connected by a chain 6l to one ot the sprockets 56. The sprocket 56 is securely mounted on a shaft 62 which is provided with a bevel gear' 63 in mesh with a similar gear 64 on a shaft 65. The opposite end or the shaftis provided with a gear 66 in mesh with a gear 67 on a shaft 68, the said shaft 68 carrying two other of the sprockets 56. The motor 6() is connected to the source of power by a wire 69 and to a switch 70 by a wire 7l, the said switch being also connected to the source oi power. Upon closing the switch 70 the circuit to the motor 60 is closed, thereby cansing` electrical energy to cause its operation. With the operation of the motor 60 the sh alts 62, and 68 are rotated, thereby causing the sprockets 56 to also rotate. As the sprockets are rotated the chains 55 are moved downwardly over them, thus pulling` the trap door1 36 upwardly, and carrying the flexible steel doors 54 back to their normal positions. As soon as the trap door 36 has been moved back to its normal position the switch 7 0 may be opened to prevent the further operation of the motor 60. Y

It will be observed that the foot rail 25 will be returned by the spring 25 to a position whereby the contact 26 thereon does not engage with Contact 29, as soon as the pressure of ones foot is removed therefrom. The disengagement ot Contact 26 from contact 29 prevents any further operation of the motor It is apparent to those skilled in the art that my improved safety device for banks may be embodied in other forms other than that shown, so for this and other apparent reasons, I desire my invention included broadly within the spirit of tne appended `claims.

Having described my invention what I claim is:

l. A door locking means, comprising in combination with a swinging door, a pivoted lever mounted adjacent the door, a weight member attached to one end of the lever, a plate movably supported adjacent the door having one or more pins projecting therefrom, the said plate overlying the opposite end or" the lever, means for normally maintaining the plate in position whereby the pins do not engage with the door, an electromagnet connected to the means for releasing the said means from the plate, thereby permitting the weicht member to elevate the plate to bring the pins in engagement with the door to lock the same.

2. Door locking means comprising in combination with a swinging door, a plate movably supported beneath the door having one or more pins projecting therefrom which are engageable with the door, a lever member pivotally mounted adjacent the plate, having one end attached to a weight and its opposite end in contact with the underneath side of the plate, a catch for normally maintaining the plate in position whereby the pins are not engaged with the door, and means :tor releasing the catch Jfrom the plate, whereby the lever member may be actuated by the weight to elevate the plate and cause the pins to engage with the door.

3. Door locking means comprising in combination with a door mounted above a licor, a bracket secured to the floor at points beneath the door, a plate movably supported by I have aliixed my JOSEPH R. BORBA. 

